Tuberous begonias are recognized for his or her colourful blooms in numerous sizes and shapes. Many hybrids of those begonias resulted in a wide selection of colours and flowering kinds produced within the twentieth century. Nevertheless, they date again to Victorian occasions, when hybridization started within the 1850s.
They’re usually grown as indoor pot vegetation, however in USDA zones Sep 11, they’re the proper addition to a shady backyard. The flowering season lasts from summer time into the autumn, and there’s no lack of flowers throughout this time.
In winter, tuberous begonias go dormant. Flower dimension and quantity diminish, and all of the plant’s power goes to increase the basis system with vitamins to feed new vegetation in spring.
In case your vegetation have been fed frequently all through the rising season, they’re able to dig them up for storage. In hotter climates, they are often left within the floor, but when there’s a slight probability of the tubers freezing, they need to be lifted and saved to be viable in spring.
These are the steps to correctly overwinter begonias:
Step 1: Wind Down
Give the begonias a final dose of potash after which cease fertilizing to allow them to die again. Take away any rising suggestions or aspect shoots, however the principle stems and leaves ought to proceed so long as potential. This consists of watering, however scale back this as time goes by. The tuber is then full of vitamins because the vegetation go dormant.
Because the colder climate units in and the times grow to be shorter, the stems and leaves will die again. Clear any lifeless plant materials across the base to stop rotting, however depart any stems in place. Eradicating them at this stage might trigger injury.
Step 2: Dig Up
As soon as the soil is dry, dig up your tubers. If any gentle frost happens, then carry the tubers, as they won’t do nicely freezing within the floor. Take away any leftover foliage from the tubers. Place a backyard fork away from the vegetation in order to not injury the basis system, and punctiliously dig down and carry them out of the soil.
Shake off as a lot soil as potential after which place the tubers on a mat or some newspaper to examine them. Use a brush to take away extra soil and discard any elements which have been opened up by lifting them or which are unhealthy-looking, withered, or skinny.
Reduce any diseased or broken bits with a pointy knife. Should you select to maintain a few of the soil round for cover, it have to be very dry.
Reduce the stems to 1 inch above the tubers.
Step 3: Put together for Storage
Put together to overwinter by setting the begonias apart in a cool, dry space within the open to treatment for 2 to 3 weeks. The realm for curing should not get too chilly or freezing. Deliver them indoors on this case. As soon as they’ve cured, the stems ought to come away simply. If not, they’ll want some extra time. By permitting them to return off naturally, you scale back the possibility of rotting. As soon as that is executed, take away any remaining soil and transfer to the storage space.
Step 4: Retailer
Examine the tubers for any potential drawback areas and mud them with sulphur or fungal powder earlier than packing away. Place every dry tuber in a separate paper bag, label the bag, and place it in a cardboard field.
Separating the tubers will be sure that no potential illnesses can infect your entire batch. Paper baggage are used as a result of they will breathe, guaranteeing airflow to stop potential fungal illnesses.
The perfect temperature to overwinter begonias is 40-50°F (4-10°C). Don’t permit them to freeze. Examine them frequently to make sure no pests or rotting have occurred.
There may be an exception right here; in hotter climates, potted begonias might be left of their pots, and the pots moved to a dry, heat spot to overwinter earlier than permitting them to rebloom in spring.
Step 5: Spring Motion
After you overwinter the roots, it’s time to get your begonias going once more in early spring. Examine them round March and start the method of warming them up for planting. Examine the overwintered begonias to ensure they’re pest-free and clear and that none have grow to be mushy in storage.
By this stage, you’ll discover that they’ve began bugging up or producing “pinkies,” similar to little fingers – the beginning of the rising factors on the tubers. If they’re lacking, they’ll seem as soon as the temperatures are hotter. Obtain this by shifting them from the darkish, cool place into a hotter place with extra gentle.